Because of my inability to find useful information about bicycling after having brachytherapy (seed implants) I thought my first two experiences might be worthwhile reporting on. At least maybe for any cyclists... and who knows, there might be one or two who'd just like to know.
So, I got clearance from both of my doctors first, and neither office asked me what kind of cycling I do, (which might be an indicator, but is perfectly understandable). For the record, I mostly do road riding (as opposed to off-road or mountain biking), and I tend to like to ride as hard as I can. At my age that statement means I can still ride fairly fast, but there are a lot of people out there who are a heckuvalot faster. I'm not complaining.
I had made plans to go out with some friends for a friendly (aka leisurely) ride on the 2nd, so I wanted to make sure I could even sit on the seat without something outrageous happening. I didn't want to get out with a crowd in public and start screaming in pain or something. Accordingly, I went out for a short ride - as quick as I could make it - a 10-mile flat loop from home on New Year's eve.
It went fairly well. There was pain, of course, but not from the prostate area... from my lungs, which were not used to having to do any work whatsoever and let me down like the traitors they are. And then my legs, which I'm sure were shouting to each other "what the heck is THIS???" while I was trying to get them to turn over at the cadence I'm used to. At any rate, the 10 miles was covered fairly well, such that I felt like I could do the planned Saturday ride with my friends. Of course I came home and took a nap. It's what I do these days.
And the ride on Saturday went just fine. I tried to alter my riding position frequently just to shift things around (standing up on the pedals, sitting up, leaning over, etc) and the ride was easy, and the pace was easy...all seemed to go ok. I noticed that I felt some sensitivity when I sat up (and was therefore further back on the seat), but it was nowhere near painful. The ride was mainly bike path, flat and quiet, with a stop for coffee in the middle... about 28 miles total, which I thought was no big deal. And I felt OK when we got back.
But later that evening and into Sunday sometime I felt a kind of pressure inside... and urinating was difficult in that the stream dwindled to almost nothing. Sorry if that's too much information! So... while the weak stream stuff is an expected side effect of the seed implants, what I experienced was more of that. All of which means, if I am truly listening to my body, that 28 miles is too long for now. Ten miles might be OK... but I expect it's a function of time in the saddle. By Monday things seemed to get back to where they were before. So, I think I have a couple of data points. :-)
To test this out a bit I plan to set up one of my bikes on the stationary trainer and try half an hour there... which is about all I can stand on that boring thing... at a good pace. And then take another ride on the road and see what happens. It seems important to me to try and remain physically active throughout this treatment, or at least attempt to do so.
Of course, I know that other people (and more accomplished ones than I) have tried this and found it hard to do. If the cycling becomes a problem, I intend to try swimming and see how that goes. But now all this writing about physical activity has made me sleepy. Time for a nap maybe? HA!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
OK. Here's where I move from A to somewhere around L (for listen). Your body is telling you something. And 28 miles for a starter is [adjective conoting EXTREMELY strong negativity]. As a psychiatrist might ask you, in a VERY soft voice, eying you on the Corbusier lounge, "Do you think you might have started with perhaps a 15 minute session on your indoors trainer mechanism to see how things were?" DUDE! Slow down (said in the LOVE LOVE LOVE voice you know so well). DON'T let me be reading about any more long bike rides. I know a local tire deflater who will rock your situation big time. UM
ReplyDeletePoint taken UM. Please call off the local tire deflater. :-) I backed off to the trainer, which is a total bore, and I can only take half an hour on it... which is fine for now. And so far, I haven't seen the effects I did from the longer ride. For one, there isn't quite the same activity because there's no road bumpiness. And really, I'm so tired when I get done, I don't think I can take any more. But the doctor said it's important to keep some activity up, so for now, I'll keep it to that. Or try to. Thing is, the hormones make me not very interested in doing it. It's a bit of a fight.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHey there John Techwriter (are you really?)... First, sorry to hear you're going through this. It's certainly do-able, but I'm sorry just the same. Here's to a successful result!
ReplyDeleteOK... on to your question: I was off the bike for about 3 weeks, and that seemed to be sufficient. Most useful advice (radiation oncologist) was "if it hurts, don't do it" - which makes complete sense, right? Except. Except that intense exercise hurts, so you need to take that into account. You're used to a certain level of pain, and that kinda feels good. Silly. But where that shifts from the level you know to something else is the key. Bottom line: listen to your body.
Trainers have their place, and that might be a good place to do a test and see what happens. I might try that first. Wait a day, and see if you have any adverse effects. If not, try a short road ride and follow the same approach. Ride, skip a day and see.
The brachytherapy worked fine for me. I still had some nagging thoughts about the potential for "seed slippage" (my non-technical term) because they're still in there. But my urologist said that after about 3 weeks they're encased in scar tissue and they're not going anywhere. In the first few days after implant is where they might move, but he hadn't seen many instances of that. (In case you have similar questions down the road.)
My PSA has been consistently less than 0.1 since October, 2010. In my case I also did hormone ablation therapy (they shut off testosterone for a year) and *that* was the worst part of the sequence. But we did that because of the numbers I had. Doesn't sound like you're doing that. The IMRT I had was non-eventful for the most part (6 weeks as well). I had a few months of false urgency to urinate about 3 years out, which was about normal. No huge deal.
Good luck with your progress through, John. If you have any questions along the way, feel free to contact me. I'll let you know what my experience was. So far so good! Hammer, dude!
I have Brachial theraphy back in 2009, thought everything was great, until the cancer returned in 2014, no I find out they cannot treat, or surgically remove the prostrate without it being ugly. Now they say I have 3 to 4 years, my be 10, but that will never happen. But as my story relates to this, I ride bike, daily if I can, and I get a burning in my prostate area about 5 miles in, I try to shift my pressure point points and stand up and pedal. Are these dual seat, seats any good for this problem?
ReplyDeleteThey might be, Jim. I don't have any experience with the dual seats. My experience has been that a firm seat caused less discomfort. Everyone is different though. Best I can advise is to try one and see. Burning after 5 miles is rather severe in my book. Talk to your doctor as well.
DeleteJim: Don't let anyone give you a time line. My uncle is 90 and they told him he had three months because the cancer had moved to his bones. He did a clinical trial in Iowa. That was at least 8 years ago. He is still with us. He hurts and is getting weaker this year but he is a miracle. Look for a clinical trial Jim. I am so sorry. I hope you get a miracle too. I am looking for a recommendation for a good saddle for fun leisure hybrid riding. My bracky was 5 wks ago and I have been instructed to stay off the bike for 4-6 months. So bummed.
ReplyDelete